Extend the Fat Tuesday Celebration and travel to the village of Northport the northernmost place on the Leelanau peninsula in northern lower Michigan for fun this weekend. Make it a weekend or overnight stay and experience some of the best Midwest wines available from this fertile county in Michigan. With over 19 wineries located on the Leelanau peninsula you're sure to have an experience in tasting that could last at least two days!

Carnival activities in Northport begin on Saturday with a snowmobile Poker Run at 11 a.m. (cost $10) and a chili cookoff at 11:30 followed by Curling and Broomball competitions, snowshoe races, cardboard sled races and outhouse races. Hmmm, sounds interesting or amusing to say the least.

Maybe visit a couple of wineries before you attend the Carnival and it could be really fun!

Wineries in the Leelanau peninsula are well marked by a wine trail map that you can pick up in Glen Arbor at the Cherry Republicwhich is a stop you can't miss with all of their cherry products like bbq sauce, nut and cherry mixes, chocolate, and of course, wine. There are some nice b&b's as well as the beautiful Homestead Resort to stay during your Northern Michigan wine adventure or try The Inn at Black Star Farms a luxurious b&b in Sutton's Bay area close to at least six wineries including Black Star Farms own winery with large tasting room and creamery for homemade cheeses. In fact, Black Star Farms served their special ice wine at the White House Governor's Dinner this week. Besides the luscious white and red wines (try the Red House Red, my favorite) the dessert wines are spectacular, especially the Sirius Maple Dessert Wine and the Sirius Cherry Dessert Wine. Although I have not tried their spirits, I understand that those are nice (or naughty!) too.

Other great wineries right in the area are Forty-Five North, Shady Lane Cellars, Ciccone Vineyards, Good Harbor Vineyards, L. Mawby, Willow Vineyards, Chateau de Leelanau,Chateau Fontaine, Bel Lago Vineyard & Winery, and Longview Winery.In the Northport vicinity there's also Leelanau Cellars, Good Neighbor Organic, and Gill's Pier.

For restaurants I'd suggest North on M-22 or The Homestead Resort's Nonna's for a fine meal. My only question is "where are the Michigan wines on the menu"? For breakfast, if you're not staying at a b&b you must try The Early Bird in Leland for a robust breakfast - it's great and entertaining, too. The wait staff are serious and busy so don't get in their way!

Look for more in the next few weeks about Leelanau penisula on GreatFoodandTravel.com. It's a special place and one of my favorite spots for a getaway.

I traveled to Crystal Mountainlast week to do some skiing and to visit the new Crystal Spa which just opened on January 30th. The Crystal Spa is the only LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified spa in the Midwest and one of only six in the U.S. Let me just say that the spa is gorgeous! The "all natural" and refined, tasteful design of the spa is top notch. I was totally relaxed during my "Aromafusion" 50 minute massage by Christopher who expertly applied strong pressure on tight muscles and placed hot towels on my back and neck and arms. The friend that I traveled with wanted to experience the Signature Crystal Balance Massage where you select an energy stone of your choice that corresponds with a matching vibrational oil to be used in the massage. There's warm oil, and deep breathing techniques used with the massage along with basalt stones and a calming vibrational sound used to finalize the massage experience - This wasn't yet available until after February 14th so she went with the Aromafusion experience and loved it as well. The Signature treatments are very appealing and something to try next time we're there.

During our stay we were in one of the cottages at Water's Edge at the base of Crystal Mountain which was lovely. The new Bungalows are also open next to the Thistle Pub and Grill in Kinlochen. The Bungalow is beautifully appointed with a Mission Style decor and the latest in flat screen tv's and lovely bathrooms and bedrooms and expansive living area - 3 bedrooms in all.

All of Crystal Mountain's lodging sites are nice, however. We had a fabulous meal at the Thistle Pub and Grill where ingredients that comprise their menu items are locally sourced.

For a Great Winter Getaway try skiing at Crystal Mountain. They also offer snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating and more. The Snowsports Director, Ron Shepard will even set you up with a lesson that can include a video taped version of your progress so you can learn the sport visually.  Spring skiing at Crystal Mountain will be the place to be for Spring Break in Michigan.

More to come about this cool trip to Benzie County!